Failure of the Van Yean Reservoir. 



159 



supply ; and, even were it otherwise, I could never sanction 

 the principle of robbing a thickly-settled district of the 

 fountain-head on which they chiefly depend for their svipply 

 of water, which at best is very small in ordinary seasons. 



So much importance has always been attached to the sup- 

 posed facilities that existed for indefinitely extending the 

 reservoir, when occasion should require, that I have thought 

 it necessary to consider the subject under its different heads ; 

 and I think I have said enough to show that the Yan Yean 

 scheme has nothing to hope for from the principle of indefinite 

 extension ; that, indeed, it cannot be extended at all. 



I forget, however, that there is one direction in which it 

 C£;n be extended, and I owe it to Mr. Hodgkinson for 

 pointing it out. He has given his attention to all the different 

 methods proposed for extending the reservoir scheme, and 

 he has come to the conclusion that by far the cheapest plan 

 of doing so is by pumping from the Yarra ; and I readily 

 admit that there is no limit to the amount that may be 

 obtained in this direction. 



I have thus shown that the sources of supply for the Yan 

 Yean Eeservoir are insufficient to make up for the immense 

 loss sustained from evaporation. I have also shown that 

 there is no hope whatever of extending the resources of the 

 reservoir in any direction, unless by pumping from the Yarra, 

 I have also shown that if the two feet five inches that are 

 now lost in the swamps could be saved, this would only 

 supply 71,500, whereas we require a supply at present for at 

 least 100,000, 



I have also shown that the medical profession here are 

 strongly opposed to the principle of storing water in a large 

 swamp in this climate; and they entert,ain the worst fears 

 that the pure waters of the Plenty will be rendered perfectly 

 unfit for use by being transferred into the reservoir. And I 

 may add, that while it is found necessary in England to clean 

 out such reservoirs once in five years, on account of the 

 immense quantities of decaying organic matters that accumu- 

 late in them, and render the water offensive and unwholesome, 

 it will be utterly impossible to clean out the Yan Yean 

 Eeservoir. At 5s. per square yard, it would cost 1,750,000/.; 

 and how would the city be supplied during the twelve months 

 that would be required for cleaning and refilling the reser- 

 voir? It remains to be considered what steps are now to be 

 adopted. It is quite clear that the reservoir must be aban- 

 doned altogether. 



